maternal roots

DOULA CARE

Birth Support

WHAT IS A DOULA?

A doula is a professional pregnancy, labor/birth and postpartum support person who assists the expectant mother and her partner in preparing for birth, coping with pregnancy (including bedrest) and provides many services to the family throughout the postpartum period. She offers education, skill, spiritual support, physical comfort and emotional balance during pregnancy, labor/birth and postpartum. A doula helps a mother and her partner know what to expect and to be aware of the many choices and options available to them. Having a doula present at your birth may make all the difference.

Benefits of a DOULA

Doula care has been found to improve birth outcomes and reduce health disparities. Evidence demonstrates that doula support increases likelihood of safer, healthier and more satisfying birth experiences. Reducing unnecessary medical procedures can prevent complications.

The benefits of doula care are strongly supported in medical literature and in the birthing world. One familiar study cited at http://americanpregnancy.org/labor-and-birth/having-a-doula/ concluded that “having a doula as a member of the birth team decreases the overall cesarean rate by 50%, the length of labor by 25%, the use of oxytocin by 40%, and requests for an epidural by 60%”. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology concluded that doula support was among the most effective of 41 birth practices reviewed. It was found that continuous labor support is among the most effective tools to improve labor and delivery outcomes and is likely underused.

Maternal Roots offers FREE in-office interviews for doula services throughout the week. Please contact for details. This interview lasts approximately 1 hour and serves to identify if the doula is a good match for your family, answer questions about the services we provide and to assess which services would be recommended based on the family’s dynamics. The interview is most often a beautiful beginning to a long-lasting relationship built around creating an empowering experience for the family.